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Miguel Inge
A drifter on both sides of the border and sometimes the law, Inge has nonetheless managed to rise from a paisano to become a beloved Baron of The Papal States. He volunteered to lead an expedition into The Saltlands, where he has been since 2279. History Early life Miguel was born to Katrina and Javier Inge, poor paisano farmers, in 2236. They lived just outside the village of Bancos, in the realm of Baron Delgato Ense. Ense was an ambitious lord in The Papal States, concerned only gaining more power and not the welfare of his people. After buying a dozen Longhorns from Valle Hermoso, Ense promptly told the Inges that he was taking their farm for his ranch. They themselves were going be his servants at his estate. Miguel would spend the next eleven years as a servant of the Baron, living in the small servant's quarters with his family, Another family with four children and an old Lipan cook. Miguel and his family were responsible for managing the large garden at the back of the estate, keeping animals and bugs from eating them. After their tasks were done they had whatever was left of the day off, which was usually spent taking care of their own food supply, a small pen of pig-rats. One day soon after turning seven, Miguel met a girl about his age when he was carrying a rat to his mother for dinner. They talked for a minute but Miguel's mother yelled for him to hurry up. When he got back the girl was gone. She reappeared the next day however, where Miguel's mother told him to bow before her. He asked her why, and the girl replied that her father was the Baron and she was Isabella Ense. His mother ordered him to apologize, but she laughed it off. From then on the two of them would be best friends, her father sometimes reproached her for 'associating with a peasant', but let them be besides these few times. His fellow servants would be a greater cause of trouble for them. The other family, the Nash's, had four sons that worked inside with their parents. All four of the brothers had fallen in love with Isabella and hated Miguel for the favor she showed him. During their childhood the Nash's would always try to get Miguel in trouble, even going so far as to frame him. Their actions however, always annoyed the Baron as opposed to angering him, and he simply told Miguel to stop it. They consistently failed in their schemes until the night Isabella turned 18. Her hand already promised to a distant Duque in exchange for more land, Isabella asked Miguel, who had been her best friend for over a decade, to spend the night with her. It was awkward but also passionate, And also overheard. The boys told the Baron about what they heard, eager for the results. The results would be that they were whipped beyond comprehension, such was the anger that rose in the Baron. He would later feel nauseous when he learned of the dishonor done to him, both by his daughter, and by Miguel whom he defended. He knew his daughter was pregnant at two weeks, and sentenced Miguel to death, after ordering his guards to beat him. He was saved from this fate by Isabella, who pleaded her father to change it to exile, which he did after hours of pleading. Miguel left the barony two days later, never to return. He would never know, but Isabella killed herself three days after he left. From here he drifted around, his mind still consumed by Isabella. He ended up in La Baronía de Mar, a small trading port on the Gulf of Mexico. It was dependent on Rafters coming to trade, exchanging leather and animal hides for outside resources. The previous four weeks has seen three raids from pirates, who always seemed to know where the traders were there. When Miguel asked about work, he was told that the Baron was looking for guards. A still heart-broken Miguel took the job, being the only he could find. He at first just got food and drink for the watchmen, was trusted enough after the first couple weeks to be given a gun. The pirates struck one night when Miguel was watching the wharf, and fired three shots quickly, warning other guards the pirates were back. The two groups exchanged fire for several minutes before the pirates pulled back to sea. Happy not to lose trade for once, the Baron and merchants congratulated Miguel and the guards. Miguel for his part also gained a fair amount of respect from the other guards, having held off the pirates for the time it took for them to get there. The pirates would continue to attack on the night with the most money for the next three months, with no one able to discover how they knew. Miguel was the one to solve the mystery, Finding the captain of the guard, a well respected man who had protected the town for decades, meeting with one of the pirates while patrolling. Having grown cautious over these last few months, Miguel just stayed there and watched the exchange, at the end of which the pirate slipped the captain a note before they went their separate ways. Following the captain, Miguel discover what was on the note; directions to the captain's share of the loot. Miguel ran to the Baron and told him to arrest the captain, to the great confusion of the former. After Miguel repeated his story several times, the Baron was convinced, and went to the captain with his personal guards. When confronted, the captain feigned ignorance and anger, but when the note was discovered, he gave in. The baron sent two men to retrieve the payment, while he, Miguel and the rest of the guards waited for the pirates. When they did appear that night, the Baron waited for them all to get onto the wharf, before telling them to surrender. When they went for their weapons, the ambushers opened fire, cutting them all down. Afterwords the Baron congratulated the men for their excellence. Three days later he called Miguel in his manor, where he presented him with a Specially crafted jacket for his skill in dealing with the problem.He told Miguel that it would be better if he left however, as the captain had many friends in town. To this end, he also allowed Miguel to keep his weapon, a 10mm SMG, along with a small bag of supplies for the trail. In addition to his pay, Miguel set off with these few items once more into the wastes. Private Distributor Venturing south this time, He entered the city of Hueruvo Nache on December 19th, 2256 and booked a room at the Brass Serpent, a cheap tavern. From here he would live and work for the next year, often concurrently. He first spent his time walking the streets and alleys talking in the cultures, watching the dock workers constantly load and unload rafts and ships of all kinds. He was especially drawn to the shipyards where the Duque's Galleys were being built. He would run out of pesos however and couldn't find work that was palatable. He was drinking to this woe when he was approached by another man he recognized from the Serpent. The two began to talk of their troubles for a little while, getting more and more drunk as they did, until the man finally offered a Miguel a job. Miguel accepted it, and then asked what it was. His new partner told him that he brought certain items into the city for those willing to pay. His previous shipment was attacked however, thus resulting in the need of a new guard. Miguel was troubled by this, but had already given his word. That Sunday, February 3rd, Miguel oversaw his first transaction. They met a pair of men in a small cafe, and switched bundles before walking out. Surprised at the easiness of the ordeal, Miguel was even more shocked by his cut of the money. He took to the next few exchanges a little more eagerly each time, until the point he set up meetings himself. His indiscretions would almost catch up to him that May however, with one deal almost being robbed. Luckily for him, he and Raul, his partner, managed to fight them off. It came at the cost of Raul, however who received a fatal wound in the opening shots. Miguel did the only logical thing he could; he took the money and the items (Lipan heirlooms in this case) and fled. He continued after this incident alone for the next six months. After a particularly close chase however, he decided it was time to leave the city. Spending all of his pesos, he bought a cart and filled it with guns, along with a horse and two guards that he trusted, and he set of to make his last deal, in the Distrito Capital. Despite several Comanchero attacks, they made it slightly ahead of expectations. After resting a few days to get the lay of the land, they started towards their rendezvous destination, only to be stopped by soldiers of Les Imperiaux. The Captain in charge demanded to know their destination and cargo. When Miguel informed him however, he yelled an order in French and the soldiers surrounded the small group, arms drawn. The captain then informed them that they were arrested for smuggling, being a Comanchero, and aided the enemies of the Empire. Prison Taken back to Ville Imperiale and given a short show trial, they were quickly thrown into prison. The fact that the guns were taken to support the Imperial wars wasn't lost on Miguel nor was the shooting of his fellows when they tried to flee. He held onto these for the next year and a half, slaving away in the fields under the cruel gaze of the guards. While incarcerated he met many men 'guilty' of many crimes; his cellmates were a murderer, Comanchero, and a deserter from a Papal levy respectively. The prisoners were put on chain-gangs by cells, so Miguel and his fellows often shared stories during their labor. They spent their few breaks teaching each other skills. Miguel learned how to sew, sharpen a knife, and throw a punch in those long days, all of which would serve him throughout his life. Growing close over their time together, the prisoners often talked of escape and what they would do once free. They saw their opportunity on March 26, 2258 when a fight broke out on the other side of the field and the guards only had a skeleton crew to quell it. The way open for a short window, the four ran as fast as they could, getting a mile away before anyone noticed they were gone. Resting in a small house, they laughed over their freedom and discussed their future. All were angry over their imprisonment and wanted to get even. Overhearing the monthly food shipment was due in a week to pass through the area, they planned to rob it. Fransisco the Comanchero knew a few of his colleagues were in the area, so approaching them, he secured some weapons and ammo on a loan. Training briefly, every man was somewhat familiar with their weapon when the caravan came by the next day. They laid in ambush for two hours until the caravan was in the trap. Fransisco fired the first shot, which missed it's mark and alerted the caravan, which then lead to a three hour shoot out that finally saw the ambushers victorious. They took what supplies they could before burning the rest and going back to their hideout. This would mark their transition from escapees to Comancheros. Comanchero The group then headed to nearest settlement (that being a loose term in the ruins) to celebrate. They chose El Madrid Enfermera, a rowdy 'open' cantina often frequented by Comancheros and slavers. There they meet with Fransisco's contact and returned their guns, as well as trading some extra ones for more ammunition. After recovering in the morning, they sought out a suitable hideout in the ruins, finally finding one after two days of searching. From there they launched raids on caravans and lone soldiers, taking their weapons. They would sell these or whatever pieces of value they got in these raids, usually spending it at the cantina. they lived like this for six months until approached by a representative of Horatio Mundez, an up-and-coming Comanchero boss. He offered the four a chance to join his band, and equal status among his men, as well as a more secure base with more luxuries. Conversing only briefly, Miguel and the others accepted and were taken to join their new brothers. They quickly made friends, with the others, and would continue to harass the Imperials for months. Their fun would be brought to end when one of their ambushes was itself ambushed by the Imperials. Attacking the caravan as planned, the trap was sprung when they closed in for the kill. Mundez himself along with several others approached the caravan to finish the guards before looting, but were turned to gore. The reason became clear almost instantly when three squads of Grand Armee regulars appeared out of the nearby buildings firing. Half of the remaining Comancheros began firing back, while Miguel and the other half fell back to their base. There they gathered their best weapons and barricaded their doors. They stood watch for the remainder of the day and most of the night, before they turned to drinking, Opening Tequila and Whiskey by the liter. After a few rounds, they began to argue over a plan. Miguel went to relieve himself shortly after this, and while returning, heard gunfire. At first thinking the french had found them, he drew his Sub-machine gun and approached the room it was coming from. Peaking around the corner he saw only one of his fellows standing and no french soldiers. Entering the room he accidentally knocked over a empty bottle, startling the Comanchero, causing the man to fire at Miguel. The bullet hit him in the arm, and he responded by firing a burst from his SMG, some of which hit it's mark. Now alone, Miguel looked around the room several times before the truth finally clicked in his mid; they had drunk too much and had shot each other over the treasure. Using a looted stim-pak to treat his wound, Miguel gathered what caps and valuables he could in two large bags before heading out, leaving the door open behind him. He found himself back in El Madrid Enfermera on yet another busy night for the establishment. After drinking to his friends, he approached a small mercenary band and offered them a bag of loot to escort him out of The District. Jumping at the offering the group agreed, and they took off at first light. After two weeks through The Highlands they arrived at a small border fort belonging (marginally) to the Papal States. He wasn't ready to return there however so they continued for another week before they officially arrived in the Cattle Country. Keeping up his end of the deal, Miguel threw them the more valuable bag, and said goodbye to The District forever. Cowhand and The Great Nicaraguan Cattle Drive Miguel Traveled the region for weeks, losing himself in the (comparatively) peaceful countryside. He arrived in San Fernando in early 2260, where he sold the remainder of his bag, keeping only a 'yankee' Grease Gun and a .38 special revolver. Inquiring around town for work, He turned down any that seemed in the least unsavory, wary of where that could lead. He eventually found his way to the ranch of Jose Quariz, an old and respected veteran of the range wars. Here Miguel was hired on and taught the ways of a vaquero. He found it a fulfilling way of life, calling back early memories of his childhood. He lived in a bunkhouse with several others for the next year, saving his pay, until 2261. That is when The Great Nicaraguan Cattle Drive was formally announced. Quariz, being an old friend of Esteban Ignacio Chavez, joined in with his herd. Miguel was one of the hands chosen to accompany the drive. For months men and material flowed in San Fernando, until finally, the drive was underway. For four years the two-hundred odd men and women headed south, facing storms, thieves, betrayal and disease. Some of the stories that happened on the trail were as legendary as the Drive itself, during which he not only helped fight off countless attackers, but also fought a bout of Malaria. He would recover enough to continue during the brief rest on the Nicaraguan Border. He spent his free time swapping stories and playing cards with the other drivers, even losing the actual shirt off his back to Jean-Napoleon Arceneaux one night. He learned from this however, and never played cards with the Cajun again, though he did enjoy watching more than a few of his games. Sticking close to the others on the trip home, Miguel fell in with a pair of men from The Papal States, who were heading north. They were from a small barony much like the one Miguel was from, and they would pass the long hours by swapping stories. Arriving back in San Fernando in 2264, Miguel took his pay and decided to return back to the Papal States, perhaps even see his old home. He would never get there, however, getting caught up in the Saltlands Wars. Saltlands Wars Two days back into the Papal States, Miguel stopped at the small free-town of Agave '''to rest for the night. The next morning there was commotion in the market place as the local bishop set up his Pulpit. He told the villagers that the holy father had issued a call to arms, to drive the heathens and criminals away from the lands of the faithful. He then launched into a sermon that stirred up old flames of faith and patriotism that his time away had buried. At the end of it, he approached the priest and asked to join the local lord's force, but was told that only subjects were allowed. Not deterred, he continued east until he reached La Ciudad de' Cientos de Paz, a Papal trade hub. There he first went to various shops, outfitting himself for what he thought war would be like. He then went around to the various hotels and inns for travelers, and looked for mercenaries. He found none that seemed both pious and willing, however, so rested for the night in the city. The next day as he was walking through the city, observing the traders and travelers, a man begged him for alms. Miguel gave him twenty pesos, charity being one of the few virtues he maintained. After the man thanked him, Miguel asked his name. He would come to hear the man's life story over lunch in a small cantina. After it was over, Miguel was moved enough to ask him if he wanted to join the crusade with him. The beggar, Jose, initially thought Miguel was joking at him, and launched into a speech about the nobleness of such an undertaking, which pleased the drifter. Miguel asked him yet again, this time insisting his honesty and seriousness. Jose was deeply humbled by the request and declared he would lay his life down for the Lord's glory. Miguel was glad to hear it, and took the man around the shops and payed for his outfitting. They found four more dedicated souls that day and together they went to '''Cardinal Teleope and announced their intentions. The holy-man blessed them and promised the forgiveness of their sins. They set out that next day, all on foot since Miguel could not afford a horse. They marched out of the city, following the trade roads south to The Saltlands. Their first taste of war was an attack by a Lipan warband. The natives approached them on foot when they were breaking for camp. Having time to grab their weapons, the beggars missed most of their shots, only managing to wound or kill them at close range. Jose was wounded by an arrow in his leg in the encounter, but bandaged it and prayed. They buried the bodies with their possessions, and slept until morning. Jose would not see that sunrise, however, the arrow carrying a poison that had entered his heart during the night. They gave him the best funeral they could, and buried him, before moving on, hearts heavy. Two nights later, they encountered a group of vaqueros with about a dozen cattle. Miguel at first nodded his acknowledgment and went to move along, but stopped when he saw that the cattle had different brands on them. He stopped and began to ask them questions about themselves, and after they had contradicted their story enough, the men dropped their act and went for their guns, revealing themselves as Comancheros. The bandits never reached the handles of any however, being killed by Miguel's crusaders. They searched the men for any documentation, and found a map. They then continued south until they reached the free town of Diaz, where they returned the cattle to the local sheriff. Pleased to have an end to the rustlers as well as a group of crusaders in town, the Mayor threw a celebration in their honor that night, which the crusaders could not say no to. Their joy was muted by the loss of their friend that night, but few if any of the townspeople noticed. The next day they asked the sheriff about the area shown in the map, and were told it was several miles out of town. Miguel and the others set out, arriving around three in the afternoon. They followed the map to a small cabin, where they took two men by surprise. The men were washing their shirts outside and seeing an armed group of strangers when they looked up, they mistook them for a posse. The rustlers were restrained and told them where The Book was, begging them not to hang them. Miguel uncovered the book and began to look through it. It turned out to be a ledger, with months of dealings, names, and prices. The book in hand, the group with prisoners in tow, returned to the town and informed the sheriff about what they found. The two rustlers gave further details in exchange for not being hanged, leading to the arrest of several hands on ranches around the area. News spread quickly of the rustling ring taken down, and Miguel and his group began gaining a small amount of fame. They resupplied in town and headed south again, finally crossing the border in April. Rustler The town, named Sue's Rest, was a picturesque artisan community of brick makers spread out near a swift stream. They were offering land plots for individuals to set up farms or ranches at discount prices, to support the community. A return to ranching sounded like a peaceful respite to Miguel, who went to the meeting hall to find out more. A small map showed the land available for ranching, and Miguel purchased a spread downstream of the village. He first dug a well to avoid the runoff from the kilns, before starting on his house. He purchased a bulk amount of bricks and mortar and then started laying. After he finished the walls, he returned to town and hired a crew to put on a roof while he left to buy a herd. He traveled back to San Fernando where he was still remembered from his time on The Drive. He was able to get a good deal from an old friend, and returned with the cattle and a pair of cowboys in tow, to a completed ranch house and corral. Things were peaceful for the next three months, with Miguel and his help rising to tend to the cattle and spending the rest of the time working on the house for the ranch-hands. When word reached Mike Huntz of Miguel's ranch, however, he was furious. Mike was a Brahmin Baron that had gained his wealth in the Range Wars and wouldn't stand for a Mexican to raise Mexican cattle in Texas. He gathered together some of his hands and they rode four days to Miguel's ranch. They arrived to find the rancher and his help moving the cattle to pasture. The newcomers rode down casually and dismounted, waiting as Miguel and the others rode over. When they got to him Huntz asked if he owned the farm. When Miguel said that he did, Huntz drew his pistol and shot him in the chest, while his crew shot down Miguel's ranch-hands. They then proceeded to ransack and set fire to the houses. They then rode after the cattle and butchered them, leaving all the corpses in the sun. Miguel would awaken days later, very weak and in a strange bed. He called out and an older man walked into the room, pushing aside a sheet hanging in the doorway. He introduced himself as Velasquez explained that some of the townsfolk rode out after they saw smoke on the horizon. His ranch was destroyed and his men and cows were dead. They had first assumed that he was the same, but then they saw his chest rise slightly. They threw him on the back of a horse and brought him back to town, where he was currently. Miguel asked his savior, how long it had been since the attack, the reply to which was three days. The man in turn asked who had attacked them, and Miguel then described him in detail. The man then told him to focus on getting better and that he would bring food soon. The next week was spent resting, with short breaks to eat and walk around a little. When he was stronger, Velasquez told him that the man who tried to kill him was very likely Mike Huntz, a local Brahmin Baron. Huntz was one of the reasons that this part of Texas ate Brahmin meat and not cow. He also demanded that the townspeople buy meat from him at high prices, the reason they had advertised in the first place. Miguel was filled with a fiery hate towards the Texan, aided on by Velasquez telling him that he would loan him a gun and ammo. Miguel took them, and asked about other disgruntled townsfolk. He soon stood in a barroom, surrounded by a small mob of people. He called upon all his memories of various nobles as he gave his own speech, and at the end of it, had a small handful of men and women ready to fight. He knew that as poorly armed as they were that they couldn't hope to attack Huntz directly, so he went to the cantinas between Sue's Rest and Huntz' ranch. He asked around and bought a few drinks to loosen lips, finding out where and who moved Huntz's Brahmin. He learned the trails over the next few weeks, and set up traps with the people. They ambushed three drives before Huntz thought they mught be connected, and posted bounties for information. Personality Miguel is to his core a drifter, never feeling at home in one place. Despite this he is a friendly and out-going man, though some experiences have made him more reserved than he was. While generally cool, Miguel does fall victim to his temper more often than not, a trait he has regretted holding on to. He is a devout Catholic and patriot, and never passes a chance to aid his homeland. His experiences in The District and Texas have made him somewhat of a racist however, refusing to hire or house any white men. He would identify politically with Pancho Mendoza's Marxist cause, but his loyalty to his homeland has prevented him from joining. Appearance A man of average height and weight, Miguel has no trouble passing for the drifter that he is at heart. His mustache and hair are tinged with grey at the edges, despite being only 45. Nevertheless he always keeps both as well trimmed as he can, a trait instilled into him from his childhood. He usually wears work clothes unless it is a formal event, in which he will dress the best he can. Since establishing the mining camp, he has taken to wearing a bandoleer in case of attack. Category:Characters Category:Tamaulipas Category:Mexico